F
C U S
O N
R E S E A R C H
Board hears from Baylor Institute
for Rehabilitation physicians,
researchers and patients
The most recent Baylor Health Care System Foundation Focus on Research
Board meeting took place February 9 and highlighted the remarkBIR provides innovative, therapeutic techniques and research efforts
able patient care and patient-focused research that takes place at
that help patients not only survive their injury, but thrive. Leading
Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation (BIR).
the research efforts at BIR is Simon Driver,
Held on Fat Tuesday, the Mardi GrasPh.D., director of rehabilitation research
themed meeting kicked off with a big
and the Ginger Murchison Chair for
“thank you” from Foundation Vice
Traumatic Brain Injury Research.
President Susan McSherry to the Board
Dr. Driver said that people who have a
for helping Baylor meet the Campaign
TBI or SCI are more than twice as likely
2015 Baylor Makes Us ALL Better fundto die from diabetes or cardiovascular disraising goal — on time and on budget.
ease than those without injuries, because
The session ended with remarks from
they often face barriers to accessing health
Baylor Scott & White Health CEO Joel
care and have a sedentary lifestyle. With
T. Allison about how Baylor is advancing
funding from a federal grant and the
the patient experience in innovative ways,
Foundation, Dr. Driver and his team are
including the use of social media.
looking into whether a modified version
The heart of the meeting focused on stoof an evidence-based lifestyle program
ries from BIR physicians, researchers and
endorsed by the Centers for Disease
patients. “We treat some of the severest
Control and Prevention can be applied to
injuries and some of the sickest patients,”
people with TBI or SCI to help them premedical director of traumatic brain injury
vent the onset of type 2 diabetes.
services Randi Dubiel, D.O., said.
Dr. Driver also talked about research
Many of the patients cared for at BIR have
Jim Thompson, Dr. Chad Swank, Joanna
Weakley and Elizabeth Daane (seated) that BIR is doing in regard to health litersurvived a spinal cord injury (SCI) or trauacy — a person’s ability to understand,
matic brain injury (TBI). “Both SCI and
TBI can have lifelong consequences that not only impact the patient’s process and act on information about their health. “We’re lookability to move and act and think and talk, but also the way they get ing at individual ways and system ways to improve health literacy
back to their work life, their family life and back to their communi- for our patients because they’re very medically complex, and we
need to do the very best job possible for them,” Dr. Driver said.
ties,” Dr. Dubiel said.
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